The Me Project
- Kieran Burgess
- Aug 27
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 10
This free resource is one of a series of units, guidebooks and lesson plans for teachers of Theatre. Although written with the DP Theatre teacher and student in mind, it can be adapted for other ages and curricula quite easily. Resources are adaptable and can be shared with colleagues, but please do not remove the credit to Kieran Burgess and this website. A condensed version of this unit plan was adapted by ISTA and is available on the IB Exchange platform, with the original extended unit available below.
Overview
Ideal as an early group formation task, The Me Project asks students to reflect on who they are as artists; considering what or who has influenced their style, work and preferences, and to present this reflection as a series of images that represent them. The group analyses the strengths and skillsets present amongst them, and form potential project ideas for later collaborative creation. This task could also work later in the course as an aid to reflecting on the learning journey so far, with its particular development of skills attached to section C of the Research Presentation, and the Presenting and Evaluating stages of the Theatre-making Process.
Teacher materials included in this set:
Teacher Notes
Student materials included in this set:
Handout 1: An overview of the task and optional criteria [be sure to remove the criteria if you don’t want to use them]
Handout 2: A template for recording details from peer presentations
Handout 3: A template for recording the Ensemble Profile
If these free resources have saved you some time and you want to show a gesture of thanks, I'd be so grateful for any small amount you wish to give!
Rationale
Ideal for the early lessons in the course, as the ensemble forms and there is a need to develop trust and communication protocols. The Me Project introduces students and teachers to one another as Artists and Theatre-makers. In reflecting on strengths, inspirations, influences and preferences, each member of the ensemble recognises that there is no such thing as ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ theatre. They recognise that there is a diverse range of stylistic and technical preferences within the group, and that this can inform their work together. On a practical level, the project introduces students to the skill sets of reflecting on the interface between their own positions and the world around them, and of presenting articulately to an audience - all within the safe wrapper of presenting about what they know best: themselves!
Students will develop...
Knowledge:
Of self and their own influences and preferences
Of the strengths and stylistic preferences of others
Skills:
Evaluation of the impact of others and their work on self as a theatre-maker
Reflection on prior experiences and development of skills over time
Presentation Skills: confidence; clarity of speech; structure; use of body, gesture and movement.
Conceptual Understanding:
Whilst theatre often has certain conventions, it is also an undefinable term: theatre can take place anywhere, at any time, with anyone, and for any purpose. There is no ‘wrong’ type of theatre, just as there are no ‘wrong’ answers to questions about theatrical intention.
One’s own place as an artist is a fluid concept: life experiences both within and outside of the studio will have bearing on the dreams, wishes and outlooks of theatre practitioners, and will change over time.
Key tasks
The creation of a presentation of self, guided by the 7 prescribed titles each of which leads to the choice of an image (literal or representational). Handout 1: Instructions and criteria lists these image titles.
The process of choosing and assembling images and narration for the presentation could take place entirely within lesson time, or outside of school hours, or in combination. Some time will be needed to explain the task and get started with teacher support. A notional schedule could look like this:
Lesson 1 - introduce the task, explain the parameters, allow some time to create.
Lesson 2 - present, with audience making notes (Handout 2).
Lesson 3 - analyse the ensemble’s strengths and preferences (Handout 3)
Teachers are encouraged to also create their own Me Project presentation: the first intention is to form ensemble and develop trust to enable more authentic participation later, and the teacher is a crucial member of this process.
Group analysis of the presentations, to create an Ensemble Profile which can inform future projects.
Key assessment
In Handout 1 there are optional criteria for this task. The unit works perfectly well without any criteria-based, marked assessment. However if your school requires a markbook be maintained or your students will benefit from them, the criteria captures the three key elements: process; presentation; reflection - informed by the Theatre Making Process from the subject guide.
The structure of 3 x criteria with 8 marks each matches the structure used in most of the assessment tasks. Higher marks are intended for more detail and explanation, with lower marks awarded for the mere presence of images/accompanying narration/reflection. As a ‘soft entry’ into the course, the criteria, if used, are deliberately not overly demanding nor intimidatingly extensive.
If you wish to remove or change the criteria, please edit Handout 1 before distribution.
Links to the Theatre guide
Section C of the Research Presentation (Reflection)
Theatre-making Process (Syllabus Content section, p.21)
Collaboratively creating original theatre (early formation and inquiry into style).
Links beyond the subject
TOK: “Art does not exist in a vacuum.” It could be said that the Arts values context more so than any other Area of Knowledge. To what extent is this true? Illustrate your answer with a comparison to one other Area of Knowledge.
Further potential development
The analysis of the ensemble’s strengths and preferences could develop into a ‘wish list’ of potential pieces of theatre that could make the most of their collective profile. One or more of these pieces could develop into a collaborative theatre performance or, if suiting an existing play text, into an inquiry into directing and design in the area of staging play texts.
The set is provided as a view-only Google Folder of Docs and Slides. Please download or make your own copy of any files you wish to edit. Do not 'Request Access' to the Google files as this will be ignored. Please feel free to adapt or add to these files, but please retain the credit to Kieran Burgess and this website. Please do get in touch if there are any broken links.
If these free resources have saved you some time and you want to show a gesture of thanks, I'd be so grateful for any small amount you wish to give!
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